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Friday, January 10, 2014

Mini Pavlovas for Grandma Kiwicakes

I have a shocking secret to reveal, I had never made pavlova before this week, it's one of those things Grandma Kiwicakes is famous for, so I've never felt the need. My recipe is Grandma Kiwicakes own recipe scaled up to make 8 mini pavlovas (and altered just a wee bit). When served they fit perfectly on a bread and butter plate

Ingredients

6 egg whites

2 cups caster sugar (I like Chelsea)

1 heaped tablespoon of cornflour

1 Tbsp of vinegar, I use white, but malt works well too.

Vanilla essence (or other flavour you may refer)

4 Tablespoons cold water

Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Place all ingredients in your stand cake mixer, turn on medium speed and leave to mix for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the mixture should have lovely stiff peaks, if your turn the mixer whisk upside down, the peaks should hold in place.

To make pavlovas of a similar size, I draw 8x 10cm circles on the back side of baking paper (you don't want pen transferring on to your pavlovas). Using a large piping bag without a nozzle fitted pipe your meringue mixture so that your circles are as tall as they are wide (they will flatten and widen as they bake). Don't put them too close together, or they will spread and join together when baking.

When you place your pavlovas in the oven, be careful not to slam the door, immediately drop your temperature down to 120C degrees. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Once time is up, turn the oven off, but leave pavlovas in the oven until cool. (If you want to bake as one large pavlova, bake for 3 hours, then leave in oven switched off until cool)

These can be baked ahead of time, as once stored in an airtight container they will keep for at least 3 days.

I served with whipped cream and an edible pineapple flower. See how to make edible pineapple flowers here